Soldier, Statesman, Servant

A Candid Q&A with Texas Representative Terry Wilson

LHD: Please tell our readers a bit about your background, and what inspired you to get involved in politics.

As a young man of 15 or 16, I was aimless and didn’t see any real path for myself until a vocational teacher at my school saw some promise in me. I learned electrical and plumbing skills during the day, but operating heavy equipment in the west Texas oilfield, especially the bulldozer, was my favorite. Building those dirt formations and working with dynamite nitrate — blowing the side off a hill — was when I realized I wanted to join the armed services. It was vocational education that kept me in school, gave me a pathway, and planted the seeds of service that eventually pulled me into politics.

Joining the U.S. Army gave a sense of belonging and value, and stoked my desire to protect and defend my nation. It also allowed me to attend Texas A&M University and even obtain my master’s degree from the Air War College. In my 32 years, I was given many opportunities to defend our nation. I was deployed many times, from the Horn of Africa to South America, and spent half my career fighting or preparing to fight the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When I came home from serving overseas, I was asked to make great sacrifices for my country and spend a little time in Washington, DC and many places across the United States as a Research and Development executive for the Department of the Army. Whether it was enhancing lines of communication, refining our weapons systems, bolstering our defenses, or resolving complex command and control issues, my goal was to ensure our service members had optimal support to fulfill their mission. Fortunately, my education and on-the-ground experience left me well equipped to understand where our nation might be vulnerable in the future, then guide development of the tools necessary in defense of her.

When I retired and came home, I was asked by leadership at my sons' ISD to assist on the administration selection committee and was later asked to run for office. Service, both in the military and now as a representative, allowed me to see who I really am, and have become, at my core. I am not so much a colonel or representative as I am Scoutmaster, American soldier, and servant. I love my family and my country and work as hard as I can every day to be obedient to my Lord and Savior.

LHD: How do you see your role as a Texas Representative?

The oath of office says it perfectly, “to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.”

A constitution sets up a government, and if that government does not protect our rights, build solid infrastructure, and provide for the common defense, the people may scrap it and start over.

As a State Representative, I listen to the people of House District 20, assess potential solutions under the constraints of our constitution, consider second and third order effects of those solutions, then work with other legislators to make those ideas into laws.

In the face of any lingering uncertainty, I use my best judgment, drawing insight from Proverbs, the scriptural book of wisdom, and seeking God's guidance.

LHD: “Preserve, Protect, and Defend” all sound similar. How do you fulfill them as separate duties, and how do you prioritize them?

DEFENSE comes first. You can’t have a strong education system, economy, or even any part of a functional society if you are not secured from invasion and attack. A nation that can’t defend itself and its borders is not going to be a nation for long.

Texans understand this, especially in the last few years. The Biden Administration has not just failed to secure the border, they actively dismantle our efforts to defend against an unprecedented invasion of our state across our southern border.

To defend Texas, the legislature passed SB 4, creating a state-level offense for illegal border crossing, empowering law enforcement to arrest anyone they witness crossing the border illegally, book them, and give them one chance to voluntarily return to Mexico. If they do not, it is a class B misdemeanor for the first offense, and up to a second-degree felony for repeat offenders.

We also put $6.6 billion into building the border wall, buoys, boots on the ground, and busing illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities in other states.

Next session, I will be carrying legislation to create a permanent Texas border protection force. Border protection is a federal responsibility, but the administration continues to refuse to fulfill that responsibility so Texans will step up to defend our state.

LHD: OK, so if “defend” is about protecting the nation from external threats, is “protect” focused internally?

That’s exactly right. It is the duty of legislators to protect the rights of the people from government intrusion first and foremost, violence and fraud second, and to protect our most vulnerable populations from inappropriate influences and neglect.

I’ll give you a few examples of what I was given the privilege to work on.

Protecting Texans From Government

Addressing the pressing issue of inflation, our focus has been steadfast on providing tangible relief, particularly through measures like property tax reforms.

TRANSFORMATIVE PROPERTY TAX REFORM began by capping how much taxes could be raised year to year, anchoring the financial future of homeowners and small businesses in predictability and stability. Next, we focused on increasing the state's share of the cost of running schools. Doing so is safeguarding more than 67,000 small businesses from heavy franchise taxes and property tax increases, which creates an environment conducive to sustainable and entrepreneurial growth.

In HEALTHCARE, our actions have been equally assertive. Importing medications from Canada was a crucial move in preserving the health and financial well-being of our citizens. This, coupled with support initiatives for new mothers and the elimination of surprise billing, ensures that healthcare is not a luxury but a preserved right, accessible and fair to all.

Protecting From Violence And Fraud

The past session, HB 6 addressed the critical surge in fentanyl-related crimes by reclassifying possession of over 200g of fentanyl as a first-degree felony, and escalating possession of as little as one gram from a state jail felony to a second-degree felony.

Protecting The Vulnerable

In 2019, parents of children suffering from PANDAS, an autoimmune condition with psychiatric manifestations, asked for help bridging the gap in awareness and treatment for their condition. HB 2783 established an advisory council that connected doctors and raised awareness, helping prevent misdiagnosis and untreated suffering.

In 2021, I authored HB 721, which fortifies support for victims of domestic violence and offers greater protection and avenues for justice.

This past 2023 session we were also able to address protections for women and children (at right).

Just like we defended Texas from external threats, the legislature worked to protect Texans from threats to our rights and liberties, our health, and our children from harm from within.

• HB 900 rigorously vets the content in school libraries, ensuring age-appropriate and respectful material.

• SB 12 takes a firm stance against exposing children to sexually explicit performances.

• SB 14 addresses the deeply sensitive issue of prohibiting surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone therapies that could have irreversible effects on children and helps safeguard their physical and mental well-being.

• SB 129 extends the statute of limitations for child pornography offenses, providing more time for survivors to get justice.

• SB 15 establishes clear boundaries in sports, maintaining fairness and safety in high school and college sports by ensuring biological gender classifications.

• HB 721 fortifies support for victims of domestic violence and offers greater protection and avenues for justice.

LHD: So, if the people are defended and protected, what does it mean to “preserve” the Constitution?

It means living up to the principles, boundaries, and ideals enshrined in our founding documents. It means serving the people, enforcing the law and contracts equally, and providing the infrastructure necessary for the state to flourish.

That infrastructure is more than just roads, power, and mail. When Texas declared independence from Mexico, the Texians cited Mexico’s failure to provide education for their children as more significant to them than the Mexican military dissolving their state legislature. When we neglect our education infrastructure, we steal from our own future.

In my time leading DOD Research and Development (R&D) and manufacturing initiatives, I saw these effects firsthand when we were not able to get even one project done without the assistance of foreign partners. Industry just didn’t have the people with the vocational skills and training and a lot of U.S. manufacturing had been off-shored, which is how we lose our intellectual property and compromise national security.

I believe it is crucial to equip our nation with the skills and domestic manufacturing necessary to preserve our republic.

By INTEGRATING VOCATIONAL TRAINING INTO EDUCATION as early as the 7th grade, and through avenues like Career and Technical Education, trade schools, and job-oriented programs, we can build a competent workforce capable of supporting middle-class jobs.

LHD: Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

As I reflect on my almost 40 years of service to this nation and this state, I am filled with a profound sense of honor and gratitude. Serving you, albeit in a different capacity now, has been a privilege I deeply cherish. Your support and trust have been the cornerstones of my journey, and I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to contribute further to our community's prosperity and well-being.

I want to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve and my commitment to continue working towards the betterment of our state and its people. The journey ahead may present new challenges, but together, with your support and engagement, I am confident that we can navigate these and build a stronger, more resilient community for all.